Registered: Nov 2002
Location: North Richland Hills, Texas
Posts: 180

Hey guys, I just wanted to let everyone know the truth of this matter before rumors spread. This is a very hard post for me to write, so please bear with me.

Today (Feb 3, 2003), Sunstorm laid off its entire staff of programmers, artists and level designers. We have retained a skeleton crew of people to assist in the cleanup and shutdown process.

Sunstorm Interactive had some of the most talented and commited employees of any game company in the world. I could go down the list, from top to bottom, and brag on every single person who worked here...tell of great things they've done, of nights worked late and projects where they went above and beyond the call of duty. Every one of them are top-notch in their job and more importantly they are really, really good people.

Unfortunately, the game industry has changed alot in the past few years. The value category that Sunstorm helped to define has seen a decrease in sales but an increase in the expectations of the game (thus raising development costs). Its very hard for a big American company paying high salaries and high rent to compete with companies from Europe or South America, or even other, smaller companies in the US.

I really hate to see this happen and I feel a huge personal loss, not just because I'm an employee of Sunstorm but because I was a fan of their (our) games before I came here.

With regards to our current batch of hunting games...

-- the Deer Hunter patch is still coming. It should be done in the coming days and will be sent to Infogrames to release.

-- We will be making sure that enough of our original resources are available to the public to help the modding community create new content and I'm sure some of us will be around to help you guys with that in our spare time.

-- I really don't know who will be doing the next Deer Hunter title, but I'm sure its in good hands. My hope is that it retains its former glory and that the next version will rock everyone's world.



As for me personally, I don't know what I'll be doing. I will be working as part of the clean up crew here at Sunstorm for the next few weeks(months?). After that, who knows. I'd love to get back to Texas, but I do have a house here and my wife has made that house my home. I don't know what I'll do or where I'll be. But I wish everyone here the best and thank you for the fun and the memories.


Tj

Tom Shiflet
General Manager
Sunstorm Interactive

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Registered: Dec 2002
Location: Tulsa, OK
Posts: 511

I just wanted to add, that regardless of my unemployement and future employement else where I will still be providing as much help and new content here at huntersrealm as frequently as I can.

first comes finding a new home for my creative works though.

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Registered: Feb 2003
Location: in the shadows
Posts: 833

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

sunstrom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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DH5 Rifle Master Sunstorm Forever
HRAH Club

Master Sergent of REALMS REBELS
.....We demand the right to negocate with the evil one and we want our fair share of Coon chili and Rare deer free weapons and fame as well as a Rare deer for everybody and we won't stop until our demands are met.

>>>>The Few, The Proud, The Realm's Rebels<<<<

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Registered: Nov 2002
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1514

That stinks Tom...Man this is too sad.

I just want to let you guy's know I appreciated your guys' work and the amount of hours you've put into these great hunting sims...lest we never forget...

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AMD Athlon XP 2100+ 1.74GHz | PC2100 DDR 768MB RAM | ATi RADEON 9500 PRO 128MB | Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 | Windows XP PRO

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Registered: Nov 2002
Location: IL
Posts: 142

why are you guys giving up

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Registered: Oct 2002
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 5963

thats really sad news to hear i loved your guys games the most out of any games ive ever played

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Banded Birds:1
Deer Hunter 2003 Rare Deer:

Albinos:1
Demons:2
Piebalds:2
Mellanistics:1

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Registered: Nov 2002
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1514

Man this sucks

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Registered: Oct 2002
Location:
Posts: 6562

This is by far the saddest news ive heard in a very long time. If SLS does take on making these games then i hope they do it right and have it retain its glory but its gonna have to be a lot for me cuz im gonna be playing dh4, dh5 and dh2k3 more than ever now. I hope you guys can find new jobs and im sure you will cuz yall are the greatest group of artists, programmers and designers ive ever seen. Its been a great time getting to know you all.

IM GONNA MISS SUNSTORM!!!!

Last edited by Bubba#24 on 02-03-2003 at 11:30 PM

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Registered: Oct 2002
Location: Clover, SC
Posts: 117

And so ends an era. I too feel a great loss as I read this. I look at the many Sunstorm games here on my desk beside me, and I remember how excited I was each time I opened the box for the latest hunting title. I look at this stack of CD's, at the history of the hunting game genre itself, and feel a deep sadess for what has been lost.

Other companies have made hunting games, but none of them had the heart that the Sunstorm games had. Oh sure, the occasional game may have had better graphics from time to time, but I never felt that they tried to capture the heart of the hunting experience. And it's the Sunstorm games that I always go back to when I sit down to play.

Y'all did a great job, and I've been proud to have been even a small part of this community that is here because of Sunstorm.

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Your resource for hunting, shooting, and conservation news

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Registered: Oct 2002
Location: away
Posts: 1555

wow.

Guys. I really really appreciate yall and your work. I just hope that you will still visit us at the realm? and thank you for the glorius years that you have given us. it all started with Deer Hunter 1. and that was a hit. and you know from there. truly, this news has brought me to tears. I am a kid sure, but i rarely go into tears. Im bout ready to ball. again, thank you for all your work and the past years. good luck and may we meet down the road. good luck guys!

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Member since 1/22/02

Proud member of the Crackshots, One of, if not the greatest DH5 team in History...

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Registered: Oct 2002
Location:
Posts: 6562

Ditto to every word that Sean just said...looks like its time to get back to WR hunting in good ole DH4 again and of course add to my rare deer and big buck pile in DH5...im gonna miss these games

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Registered: Oct 2002
Location: away
Posts: 1555

Parrothead couldnt have hit the nail better...thanks!

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HRAH FOR EVER

Member since 1/22/02

Proud member of the Crackshots, One of, if not the greatest DH5 team in History...

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Registered: Oct 2002
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 5963

who ever makes the new dh better do as good of a job as you guys did but i dont think thats possible

ILL MISS YOU GUYS

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Banded Birds:1
Deer Hunter 2003 Rare Deer:

Albinos:1
Demons:2
Piebalds:2
Mellanistics:1

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Registered: Nov 2002
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 4509

Good luck Guys on on your future indeavors.SS will be truly missed.

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Registered: Dec 2002
Location: TX
Posts: 520

man, never though SS would ever go down.

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